Upgrades
by SonikkuKitten
Summary: The Freedom Fighters find mysterious blueprints in one of their latest Robotropolis raids. An abduction and two years later they find out what exactly Robotnik created them for. This is a fanfiction based on the SatAM/Archie series.
1. New Machinery

**_Disclaimer:_** _I don't own Sonic or anything related to him, that would be Sega. This is a fanfiction based on the Sonic the Hedgehog Archie Adventure series and SatAM series by DIC. The video games are too inconsistant for me to make a feasable plot for them.  
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_This fanfiction contains adult language and sooner or later violence will be added into the mix and some suggestiveness. :)  
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_This fanfiction also contains Son/Sal, Knux/Su, Tails/Mina. These are all pretty official within the Archie comic so if you have a problem with it you'll just be wasting your time reading this if you absolutely despise any or all of these. There is also hints of Rote/Bunni just in case people might have a problem with that one._

_Other than that enjoy and constructive critcism is always appreciated!  
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**Ch.1-New Machinery**

"That still doesn't explain all these new machines ol' Buttniks makin' Rote." Sonic said angrily as he tapped a finger impatiently on the wooden table. Rotor gave an irritated sigh,"Well it doesn't make much sense to any of us either Sonic."

"Ah know Sugah, but ah got a bad feeling about all this 'ere new gadgetry." Bunnie replied looking through some of the new blueprints Nicole had found.

Sally busily worked away on Nicole sorting the newly stolen information from Robotnik's database. She was just as worried as the others, because whatever Ivo planned to use these new machines for it most certainly was going to be something big.

"Vwat I do not unzerstand iz vwat on Mobiuz Robotnik made zese tinks for." Antoine scratched his head in confused thought. The others nodded in silent agreement.

"It's most certainly something he himself hasn't tried before. Yet, I still can't figure out what he's going to use them for...they're not for roboticizing...that's for sure..." Sally lost herself in Nicole's various screens once more.  
Tails scowled, "I'm with aunt bunny on this one. Buttnik's cooking up one hell of a storm...I can feel it."

Sonic yawned loudly and stretched, "How about we pick this topic up tomorrow? This hedgehog needs his beauty sleep after kickin' bot butt for information that boggles the hedgehog mind way more than it should and I would like it to."

"I ahm wit Zonic on zis one...I ahm 'ow you sai...egzasperated." Ant rubbed at his eyes while the others tried to stifle their laughter at his error. Sally gently shut Nicole and got up from her chair.

"All right then. I guess we should call it a night. Good work on the mission today everyone, it couldn't have gone any smoother."

Everyone wearily made their way out of their rooms and toward their warm Knothole homes until Sonic and Sally were the only ones left. Sally gathered the print-outs and neatly stacked them on a nearby desk to be further examined tomorrow. Sonic had his feet lazily up on the wooden meeting table and was beginning to snore. Sally looked at him and giggled at the sight, but her happiness quickly diminished and as she sadly walked toward Sonic. She put up her hand and almost went to caress his cheek, but lightly tapped on his shoulder instead, "Huh...wha? If there aren't any chili dogs for breakfast mom I ain't gettin' up." Sonic blinked his vision back into focus and found himself staring into Sally's face.

"Sal?" he squinted, "Whoa...for a second there I thought I had woken up and found an angel in my room."

He smirked as he stood from his chair and stretched. Sally smiled sadly, "Well you're the one falling asleep at the meeting table. Someone had to wake you up before you fell from your chair." Sonic made his way for the door and stopped as he held the doorknob. He turned around and saw Sally busily tidying up their mess and he frowned, "Sal..." he started. She turned around, "Good night Sonic. Good work today." She turned away quickly before he could see the tear make its way down her cheek.

"Yeah...Good night Sal. See you tomorrow." He left shutting the door behind him, and Sally slumped on the floor letting the tears escape her eyes. It was so painful to have to hold back her feelings for Sonic, but it was the best thing for him she thought, because his life had no room for her. Sonic found himself having a great deal of trouble getting to sleep that night. _'You idiot! That was the perfect chance to patch things up with Sal!'_ He tossed and turned on his bed, _'Argh! Whenever I get the chance I always blow it.'_ He sighed loudly and Muttski whimpered at his side sensing his distress. Sonic patted Muttski's head gently until he was finally able to drift off into a tired sleep.

The next morning didn't bring any new opportunities for the Freedom Fighters to review their previous day's findings. Knuckles arrived with his constant companions in Knothole for a visit and to update the others on the progress made on the Floating Island since Robotnick's attack. Knuckles, Sonic and Tails went to the best bar in Knothole to hang out for a while. The Chaotix decided they all could use a short vacation and lounged about Knothole enjoying the beautifully warm breezy day. Julie-su joined Sally and began recruiting other females for a sleep over that night. Bunnie turned them down because she was overdue for a check-up on her robotic body from Rotor, Amy had dissapeared somewhere and the only thing known was that shopping was involved so the girls decided not to intrude on her recreational shopping acitivites, but Mina gladly accepted and went off to her home to prepare. As dusk fell the Chaotix were offered a place to stay for the night by King Maximillian Acorn as guests of the kingdom, but Knuckles decided to stay with Sonic and Tails that night since Julie-su was spending the night with Sally.

Knuckles sat at the dinner table respectfully declining Bernie's many offers as she tried to make Knuckles comfortable.

"You make sure to let me know if you boys need anything." She smiled as she walked out the doorway towards the bedroom leaving the trio behind after successfully cleaning off their plates.

"So Robotnik is cooking up something new." Knuckles said thoughtfully as he got up from his seat.

"Yeah...and things aren't looking good. We were going to go over all the new information today, but that's been postponed until tomorrow, but that's not a bad thing since we've got you and the Chaotix to help share ideas with." Tails answered. They silently walked down the hallway towards the bedroom Muttski following behind Sonic as they entered and quickly made themselves comfortable.

"I'm actually grateful that we got a break from raking our brains trying to figure out what Buttnicks up to this time around." Sonic smirked as he placed his arms on the pillow behind his head.

"I heard aunt Sally is having a sleepover tonight too." Tails said sleepily from his bed.

"That's why I'm here. Julie-su is over with her right now and as much as the Chaotix are great friends...they drive me nuts at night if Julie-su isn't there to help me think of a way to drown out Vector's snoring." Knuckles chuckled lightly. Sonic sighed sadly,  
'You and Julie-su sure have grown close since you came back from the dead Knux...I wish I could say the same for when I came back from the dead.' The room was silent for a moment except for the sound of Muttski's tail softly hitting the mattress as Sonic petted him. Soon all three fell asleep looking forward to the next day.

For the girls on the other hand the night had just begun. Mina brought a kareoke machine for everyone to enjoy while still trying to stay quiet enough so as not to awaken all of Knothole.

"You know what? If I ever decide to start up a singing trio you guys will definately be first on my list!" Mina giggled along with Sally and Julie-su.

"That would be something wouldn't it?" Julie-su gestured to Sally, "the three of us singing backup for Mina, prancing around the stage after saving the world." Sally laughed as she shook her head.

"Ash suggested it to me once. Problem was he couldn't find anyone good enough, but that's my Ash for you, he sets his standards too high. He should give a listen to you two." Mina chuckled at the memory of when Ash first became her manger before he became her boyfriend.

"As appealing as joining you sounds Mina...I don't think I could leave Knuckles' side. You never know what you have until it's gone and boy did that ring true when we practically lost Knuckles." Julie-su smiled. Sally nodded and then remained silent before looking at the floor. Mina and Julie-su looked at each other noticing Sally's sad state. Julie-su got up from her bed and rummaged through her bag after winking at Mina as she walked past. Mina chuckled slightly and nodded making her way to Sally's bed.

"Well...that's enough talk of men for tonight!" Mina jumped onto the bed beside Sally.

"That's right! This is our girls night anyway, so let's try some makeovers!" Julie-su dropped various accessories on Sally's dresser and led her to a chair. Mina quickly began combing out Sally's hair, "You guys don't dress up enough anyway so let's take some pictures of us before we wash up before bed. Then we can send them out and make the boys drool!" Sally giggled despite herself, grateful for the distraction.

"Just don't overdo it you two." She joked as Mina and Julie-su got to work, "Us? Never!" Julie-su mocked as she prepared the make-up. The girls dolled each other up as a dark figure watched from the window, waiting for the girls to settle into their beds before making their move.

"They're almost done sir. They should be going to bed soon enough." the figure whispered into its wrist communicator.

"Good...very good. Simply continue with the plan. Contact me immediately should ANY complications arise, but I doubt that will happen with this beautifully perfect plan." the wrist commnicator answered followed by a cruel chuckle.

"Of course sir." Silence followed and the figure simply waited to do what it was sent out to do.

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	2. Without A Trace

**Ch.2-Without A Trace**

Sonic stared wide eyed at the building as guards poured in and out of the doors. A soft "No..." was all Sonic could manage to say while his fingers dug into his palms as he clenched his fists tighter. Knuckles ran through the building calling out Julie-Su's name frantically his voice shakily on the verge of tears. Ash had just arrived and Geoffery quickly informed him on the situation. Ash was obviously not happy with the news as he cried out angrily and joined Knuckles in his fruitless search. Sonic uttered "No." again as hot tears began to pour down his cheeks unable to hold them in any more. He ran into the building at top speed blindly turning corners down a path he remembered all too well. When he stopped he was in Sally's room where the girls had spent the night. There was no sign of a struggle and the guards had already dusted the place and could find no evidence of them leaving the room or anyone entering. The beds they had slept in were still slightly messy with signs of their presence. _'How?'_ Sonic wondered _'How could they have just vanished?'_ He walked to Sally's desk and found the photos the girls had taken that night, Nicole was sitting silently right beside them. Sonic began to look through the photos slowly.

"The girls took those last night before they went to bed." Nicole said to Sonic, "I know they had no intention to do anything more than sleep so I shut down for the night. I have no idea what could have happened to them and my search for answers was just as much in vain as Geoffery's search." Sonic stared at the photo of Sally after her makeover, his vision blurred from tears.

"Don't worry Nicole. I'll find out what happened. I won't rest until I do." Sonic gently placed the photos back on the desk, all but the one of Sally alone as Knuckles walked in the tears he cried dried on his cheek, but anger was the only expression on his face. He looked through the photos and took the one of Julie-su.

"I'm with you Sonic. Something is wrong...I can feel it." He looked to Sonic and they silently agreed.

"I'm going with you Sonic. I can help and I won't let you guys make me stay home like some baby. I want to find Aunt Sally just as much as you do." Tails walked into the room and joined them.

"I wouldn't have it any other way lil bro." Sonic smirked at the determined fox. "Get ready Nicole. We've got a lot of searching to do." Sonic picked her up and handed her to Tails.

"I was made ready."

The trio raided Robotnik's base mercilessly searching for any evidence of the girls, but they found nothing and Robotnik himself was missing from his base of operations. They traveled endlessly searching for any sign that the girls may have been near. After a year Robotnik returned with his regular schemes and although they were distracted with their search they found time to foil him as they always had keeping Mobius safe for the time being. By the second year the boys had lost all hope of finding the girls alive or even at all. The Dark Legion, Mammoth Mogul, noone seemed to have taken them or know who might have. Geoffery stuck to the thought that they had probably run away and simply didn't want to be found, Knuckles and Sonic were convinced that he just was tired of looking. Sonic and Knuckles were constantly plagued by similar dreams. Images of the girls in a stange experiment room unconscious and strapped onto tables with dark figures looming over them with surgical tools. At the first torturous scream they would wake in a cold sweat even more determined to find them.

Knuckles looked absently at the cup in his hands before taking a quick sip. Sonic stared out the window as Tails tinkered away on Nicole.

"Knuckles please. You must stop this madness. She's gone and there are others who need you just as much who are still here." Lara-lee pleaded with her son. "Perhaps if you let it be you will find something when you aren't trying so hard." Knuckles' face contorted in anger and Lien-da sighed as she kissed his forehead and walked out of the room.

"Two years...two years of nothing." Knuckles threw the cup at the wall which smashed into brittle bits from his force.

"It's like they no longer exist." Tails said as he shut Nicole gently.

"All we have are those awful dreams. Why do we have them and what do they mean?" Sonic got up from his seat and walked to the window.

"I don't know, and I don't know about you, but lately for some reason although I know it's Julie-su in my dreams I can't 'see' her anymore...it's like her physical form is lost. It makes me fear the worst." Knuckles joined Sonic by the window.

"I miss Mina's singing." Tails said sadly as he joined Sonic and Knuckles by the window.

"Yeah...I miss Julie-su and Vector's constant bickering." Knuckles chuckled.

"I miss Sal's sigh when she was tired of dealing with my hard head." Sonic closed his eyes as he remembered all the little things he missed so much.

They were interrupted as someone knocked on the door roughly. Espio entered the room and bowed in apology.

"Sorry to bother you, but we're receiving an urgent call from Knothole. They wish to speak with the three of you right away."

"We'll be right there." Knuckles, Sonic and Tails followed Espio into the communication room to find Rotor waiting patiently on the big screen.

"We've got a problem." Rotor stated solemly. "Old Iron Lips is at the edge of the great forest with a small army of swatbots. He's calling you out Sonic...he also mentioned Knuckles, but only briefly. He also said something about a long awaited reunion. There are 3 large vessels behind him, but we haven't been able to figure out why they're there. My guess is that he thinks he finally found the ultimate weapon to destroy you with Sonic."

"You know Buttnick, he was always full of nothing but hot air." Sonic scowled as he put the information together silently in his mind.

"In any case it looks like we need to get down there as soon as possible before he launches an attack on Knothole." Tails hurried off to begin the arrangements of getting them back to Knothole from the Floating Island.

"You comin' Knux? Robotnick may have mentioned you, but that doesn't mean you have to come. You are guardian of the island after all and..." Knuckles interrupted Sonic before he could continue.

"I'm going." and with those words Knuckles left the room to find Tails and Sonic quickly followed.


	3. Reunion

**Ch.3-Reunion**

Tails quickly had the trio near the edge of the Great Forest in no time at all with the Tornado. As Tails parked his plane carefully Sonic and Knuckles sped to where Robotnik awaited with his robotic army with Tails not far behind.

"It's about time Hedgehog. I was getting ready to make an example of Knothole while I waited, but seeing as you've finally arrived we can get on with my life and end yours." He smirked as he stepped behind his daughter M.

M quickly began pressing a series of buttons on her portable console and the doors to all three vessels opened and began spewing an army of feminine shaped robots. They stayed separated in groups of three outside their respective vessels. Sonic scoffed at the sight as Robotnik's regular swatbots retreated behind the feminine groups and slowly began packing themselves into the vessels.

"This is pretty sad even for you Buttnik. Looks like you've sunk so low you need women to handle your job." Robotnik frowned ferociously at his "pet name" and put a hand on M's shoulder.

"M is my daughter and shares the same hate for you that I have, so I thought it brilliant when she came to me with this idea." Robotnik smiled viciously. "This will be the end for you and all the rebels of Mobius!"

As he cackled M finished her button pressing and as soon as she closed her console two figures sped out of the two outer vessels and stopped in front of their group of robots. Sonic, Knuckles and Tails stared in horror as the figures stood straight their faces expressionless and their eyes red with malice.

"I see you remember my newest members of this destructive family." Ivo waved his arms in the air pointing at the two females. Not robots, not overlanders, but mobian in appearance.

"J-Julie-su!" Knuckles gaped and took a step toward her. Her hair had grown longer and was wild and unkempt. There were various metallic plates on her body and wires appearing in odd places. The metallic parts weren't the only new additions; she also had hints of green scales on her body and her tail was long and almost completely covered in scales. She hissed in an animal like manner when Knuckles took another step toward her. "No...she can't be...she can't!"

Tails also couldn't help himself and stepped cautiously toward what he could only perceive as Mina. A low growl escaped her throat as he got too close. Like Julie-su she sported various metallic parts and wires, but instead of scales Mina was scruffier in places and her tail was like a stubby wolf tail. Tails shook his head in disbelief and rejoined Sonic and Knuckles.

"No...this has to be some kind of trick." Tails stared angrily at Robotnik who grinned smugly at the trio.

"Ah, but I have one more present for you. This one is special, just for you Sonic." He walked to the entrance of the center vessel and held out his hand. A familiar brown furred hand took it and leisurely walked out. Her red eyes stared emptily in Sonic's direction making him visibly shudder.

"What kind of cruel joke are you trying to pull Buttnik!" Sonic stood defensively as the last female stood in front of the middle group of robots. The same metal parts and wires again, but a low roar came from her lips as a lion like tail irritably swished behind her. Her messy red hair framed her face adding to the lion qualities she already had.

"Aunt Sally?" Tails whispered just as confused as the others.

"I do apologize Hedgehog. I did have one more gift planned for this day, but sadly it still needs a bit of work, but I doubt I'll be needing him today." another unsettling cackle came from Robotnik.

"I knew it was you!" Sonic screamed at Eggman, "You have the real ones somewhere and I'll find them once I've destroyed these fakes."

"I assure you Sonic Hedgehog that these are very much the real things." M glared in Sonic's direction as she walked toward Sally and taking a sharp instrument she gave a quick swipe near Sally's cheek. Immediately blood began to trickle down her cheek, but Sally herself hadn't blinked through the whole ordeal.

"A clever trick. Nothing more. You've always tried tricking us with realistic robots!" Knuckles clenched his hands into tight fists.

"Master." Sally turned her head stiffly toward Robotnik, "Forgive me, but I request to begin what you have programmed for us today and dispatch of these creatures quickly and efficientlyso that we maylaunch our attack upon Mobius."

"Yes, of course specimen 01. I will leave you to your work." Robotnik entered the center vessel following his daughter and stopped at the door. "Do not fail me."a threat more than a statement.

"The probability of that is impossible Master." The girls answered in unison and closed their eyes as Robotnik sped away leaving them behind with their robot groups. All the bots standing behind the girls beeped briefly in unison and took up attack postions quickly. The girls went into attack positions as well and silently stared at the boys.

"Mah stars! What has Robotnik done to you Sally girl!" Bunnie ran towards Sonic followed by Antoine, Rotor and various other able bodied Mobians.

"That's not Aunt Sally...and that's not Julie-su and this one isn't Mina. It's impossible." Tails stated angrily.

"We came to help Sonic, but it doesn't look like you've started yet." Rotor called to Sonic as he toted a large bazooka like gun. "Where'd Buttnik go?"

"Took off like the coward he's always been." Sonic replied without taking his eyes off Sally who still stood ready to attack.Before he could fill Rotor in on the situation all the robots charged forward sending the entire group into the defensive. The boys found some difficulty destroying the robots, but somehow managed.

"Sonic, Knuckles!" Tails called out as they were fighting. "It's the girls! They're controlling the robots!"

Sonic began making his way through the battle toward the girls who remained in their stances, focused on the battle. As soon as Sonic broke free from the wall of feminine bots he lunged at Sally who quickly leaped high into the air. As Sonic looked to the sky for her she quickly fell toward him smashing him to the ground as she landed on his shoulders and with cat like grace jumped off and landed softly on the ground. Sonic quickly got to his feet as she came towards him swiping a hand at him. Sonic winced as he felt a stinging pain in his arm and examined it quickly. She had scratched him. Sonic thought he had evaded her, but she managed to quickly scratch him. This Sally was a lot faster than the Sally he remembered. Sonic wasted no time as he ran to attack her again.

Knuckles finally broke through the robot barrier and immediately flung a fist at Julie-su's face, but connected with nothing but air. He heard a hiss behind him and as he turned around laser bullets came toward him. They flew past him one hitting him roughly on the shoulder scorching his spiky fur. He looked at the imposter Julie-su angrily as she stood her arm in the air pointed towards him, two fingers smoking like gun barrels. She wasted no time and began relentlessly firing a barrage of laser bullets at Knuckles. Knuckles narrowly escaped the shower of bullets and frowned at the memory of Julie-su's preferred weapon and the one she was the most skilled at, the gun. Another rally of bullets gave him the opening he needed as he jumped toward her his fist finally connecting with the arm she used as a gun. He smirked as her arm fizzed and sparked, but when she lifted her other arm and it began to hum with a familiar sound Knuckles quickly found himself running once again.

Tails took to the air to escape the onslaught of robots but was quickly attacked by Mina. She had jumped into the air and taking one of his tails into her jaws she swung him mercilessly against the hard ground. Tails recovered quickly enough to evade her as she fell to the ground over him. She barked angrily upon realizing she had missed him. Tails gritted his teeth as the the pain he felt told him flying was not an option anymore, but had no time to dwell on it when Mina came at him like a rabid, mindless animal. He evaded her constant attacks, but found that although she wasn't making many direct hits she would get a wayward punch or kick in, which was starting to take a toll on Tails. Tails shook his head as his mind fought with him. _'This isn't Mina! Robotnik is justusing them to try and get us to hold back so we won't attack.'_ Still as Tails tried to convince himself that these girls were nothing, but elaborate copies something kept him from seriously attacking Mina.

Sonic found the fake Sally's attacks similar to the real Sally, but with added speed and power. Her silent stares at him, somehow with an air of victory, angered him making his judgement poor. He tried to curb his temper because he was quickly realizing that this fake shared Sally's incredible intellect. She hadn't suffered any injuries except for the one M had given her in demonstration. Sonic saw Knuckles and Tails struggling along with the rest of the mobians trying their hardest to keep the robots from getting into the great forest. Sally took the opportunity Sonic had given her and quickly pinned Sonic against a tree. Her hands around his neck in a death grip. Sonic gagged and began to fear for his life as Sally's own lifeless eyes stared into his a cruel grin spreading on her face. Sonic brought his feet up to her chest and kicked her with all the strength left in his body. He sent her flying until her body met with the thick trunk of a tree with a heavy thud. Sonic coughed and tried to regain his composure as Sally slumped to the ground.

"This can't be over..." he said silently as he watched her remain lifeless for a moment. Her hands flew to the back of her head. Her eyes opened in shock and in pain, but instead of lifeless red they were the beautiful blue eyes Sonic remembered all too well. Some of the robots slowed down and some even seemed to have shut off. As soon as it happened it was over and the robots continued with added malice as Sally stood her eyes once again red and empty. She ran towards Sonic with a roar and Sonic launched himself into a spin cutting deeply into Sally's leg. He landed roughly and turned towards her as she cried out in pain, but instead of the lack of emotion her face was etched with anger and she stumbled towards Sonic once more, but stopped before she had started into a run and fell to the ground on her knees. Her hands gripped the earth as tears fell onto the torn dirt and grass and she grunted in agony.

"No!" Sally roared again and was on her feet staring at Sonic, but her eyes would flash between blue and red. Sonic felt tears gather in his eyes as he watched her stumble and bleed. She turned her head to the sky and let out a terrible cry and ran off in the direction of Mina and Tails. Sonic ran after her, sure that she was going to attack Tails.

"What the.." was all Tails could manage as Sally pushed him out of Mina's way and let her tackle her. She quickly had Mina pinned to the ground. Mina flailed and bit at Sally's arm.

"Snap out of it Mina! Don't let Robotnik control you again!" She lifted Mina and threw her against the trunk of a tree as Sonic had done.

"Sonic...what...what's going on!" Tails looked to Sonic for answers, but Sonic watched as Sally held onto Mina until she stopped flailing and her eyes returned to their natural color and a confusion set in.

"We need to stop Su Mina...we can't let Robotnik have his way!" Sally pleaded and let Mina go. Soon the two of them pinned Julie-su and did the same trying to get her to stop. Julie-su fired shots in all directions furiously, but soon stopped and slumped to the ground. The feminine bots did the same and the mobians wasted no time in disassembling them before they could attack again. Mina fell to the ground and began to cry. Julie-su joined Mina as Sally slowly got to her feet and turned to face Sonic, Knuckles and Tails.

"I'm so sorry." she limped toward the boys slowly. They warily stepped back from her and she stopped. "We didn't have much of a choice...even now he could control us with the press of a button if he knew that you had knocked us free of his latest mind control." Tears began to fall from her eyes and she wiped them away quickly.

"Where are the real girls!" Tails demanded as Julie-su and Mina joined Sally.

"I don't expect you to believe us or Ivo, but we are indeed the real thing. Do you remember the day before we dissapeared? When we were trying to figure out what Robotnik was up to with all those new blueprints?" Sonic stared into Sally's eyes, expecting them to return to their former red, but he somehow knew that they wouldn't be turning back.

"They were M's blueprints. She was the one who came up with most of the plans this time." Julie-su bit her lip trying to keep herself from crying anymore. "She's the one who captured us and she's the one who did this to us."

"Robotnik was there for awhile. Watching, approving, smiling that horrid smile everytime we screamed. We were living guinea pigs, getting all kinds ofmobian DNA injected into us and all the excruiating pain for these metallic parts." Mina wrapped her arms around herself protectively as the painful memories filled her mind.

Sonic walked toward Sally slowly her deep blue eyes looking at him sadly, almost apologetically. He touched her face, tracing the cut M had made in her cheek. Sally covered her face with her hands and began to weep. Sonic folded his arms around her and knew it was her. It was Sal...he was ashamed he hadn't seen it sooner. Knuckles did the same to Julie-su as she cried silent tears onto his chest apologizing repeatedly. Tails simply took Mina's hand and held it softly. She threw her arms around him at the gesture and sobbed as he hugged her tightly. Sally suddenly pulled herself free from Sonic's comforting embrace and smiled at him sadly.

"We need to leave before Robotnik can use us against you again." Julie-su and Mina joined her and nodded in agreement.

"What! We finally find you guys after these two years and you're leaving?" Knuckles took Juli-su's hand in an attempt to keep her from leaving.

"It's too dangerous for us to stay. Maybe we'll see each other again somewhere." Sally said as she turned and ran into the forest the girls quickly following behind leaving the Freedom Fighters.

...to be continued...


End file.
